Plan now for ban on plastic bags

Plastic bags are an endangered species around the Monterey Bay. The city of Watsonville has been the latest to ban the bags, as I found out recently when I had to do some shopping there. Not only that, but Carmel also passed its bag-banning ordinance, which will go into effect on Jan. 3.

Most of us can agree that getting rid of single-use plastic bags is a positive thing for the environment. And most of us can adapt to toting our reusable to the store.

But still, you must admit: Some of us will miss that supply of free plastic bags. If you are thrifty like I am, you probably have a supply of plastic bags at home that you've saved for various uses — lining trash cans, for instance, or picking up dog waste or handling gloppy kitchen messes more easily.

I have heard some minor gripes from friends who acknowledge that they do, to some degree, rely on those free and readily available plastic bags. Now they're wondering what to do when the bags are gone.

Of course, you can buy plastic bags. But then you're perpetuating other problems — use of a scarce natural resource (oil) to make the plastic that goes into the bags, for one.

What is the best solution to the dilemma? There is no perfect solution, but you can make more sustainable choices.

· Lining trash cans: Paper bags are a good solution for this. However, since liquids soak through paper, paper is not ideal for holding any kind of wet garbage. But paper bags will work well in the places in your home where the trash stays dry.

· Picking up poop: As a dog owner, having a plastic bag for this purpose is essential, especially when you're out walking the pooch in public areas. However, there are other sources of plastic that can be employed.

You can save any kind of plastic that comes wrapped around items that you buy; as long as it's flexible but not too thin, it will work. I'm thinking in particular of the wrapping around products such as toilet paper, although a variety of other things are also wrapped this way. Dog waste bags can also be purchased.

· If all else fails: There are better choices for your plastic bag purchase. There are compostable bags available, some made from corn, and others from a particular kind of plastic that breaks down easily. Although compostable bags are most ideal for items going on your compost pile, there's no reason why you can't use them for other garbage.

Some brands of plastic bags use recycled materials; however, not every store carries them. Nob Hill Foods and Whole Foods are good places to look for these, or you can order them online.

I Googled "Earth friendly trash bags" and turned up all kinds of brands, including Seventh Generation, Pack-N-Green, BioBag, Vegware, and others. Some are of the compostable variety while others are made with recycled plastics. Some, like the Natural Value brand, say their plastic bags are PVC and plasticizer free.